1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains in general to computer security, and more specifically to sampling and tracking computer threats on mobile devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
While computer systems are continually threatened by a risk of attack from malicious computer code, such as viruses, worms, and Trojan horses, there have been only a limited number of malware threats associated with mobile devices (e.g., smart phones, etc.). However, mobile devices are showing an astounding growth in both enterprise and consumer markets. As mobile devices become more prevalent and integrated into everyday commerce, they will become a rich target for cyber crimes.
The computer security industry for detecting and managing malware on computers has become a large and thriving industry, with many new technologies being developed regularly to keep up with the constantly evolving malware. A wide variety of different kinds of antivirus software can be installed on computers to prevent or otherwise manage malicious code attacks. However, there has not yet been developed an effective mechanism for detecting computer threats that spread via short-range communication technologies, such as BLUETOOTH®, infra-red, WiFi, etc. Currently, there is no mobile-specific mechanism for sampling, profiling, and tracking the locality of mobile device threats.
Tracking malware spread via short-range transfer technologies on mobile devices further presents additional challenges not encountered with security management of personal computers (PCs). With a PC, a security software vendor can set up numerous computers around the world that the vendors manage and use to test software and examine potential threats and their actions. Yet, this technique of managing multiple computers for malware testing and tracking cannot be as easily implemented with mobile devices. Many mobile devices run via subscriptions to mobile services offered by mobile service providers. These mobile networks operated by different providers could possibly face threats that are unique to certain networks, to certain devices, certain regions, and so forth. For thorough testing, security software vendors would have to subscribe to a multitude of different services using various devices placed around the world. This mechanism for malware tracking is not tenable in the same manner that it is with PCs, making malware tracking for short-range mobile devices a unique problem.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a solution that samples, profiles, and tracks malware transferred via short-range technologies on mobile devices of real users.